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Magazine Archives

September-October 2011

Volatility has always been a factor in supply chain management. It just seems that the level of volatility we’ve been experiencing recently has been higher—and certainly a lot more persistent—than anything we’ve experienced in quite a while. Those boring good old days of relative stability have been supplanted by economic turmoil and wild stock market swings; by monumental natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, and tornados; by political upheavals around the globe; and by suppliers cutting way back on capacity or in some cases simply going out of business. These are among the major contributors to that sense of volatility that seems to haunt us daily.

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September-October 2011

Volatility has always been a factor in supply chain management. It just seems that the level of volatility we’ve been experiencing recently has been higher—and certainly a lot more persistent—than anything we’ve experienced in quite a while. Those boring good old days of relative stability have been supplanted by economic turmoil and wild stock market swings; by monumental natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, and tornados; by political upheavals around the globe; and by suppliers cutting way back on capacity or in some cases simply going out of business. These are among the major contributors to that sense of volatility that seems to haunt us daily.

Top Story

The 2011 Supply Chain Top 25 rankings from Gartner include repeat winners and some new entrants. Perhaps even more important than the actual rankings, though, are the lessons learned from examining just what makes the leaders stand out. This year, six specific tactics they embrace seem to point the way toward supply chain excellence.